2015 Survey of Attitudes of Voters Toward Public Lands and other Western Issues

8/9/2019 2015 Survey of Attitudes of Voters Toward Public Lands and other Western Issues

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KEY FINDINGSTHE 2015 SURVEY OF THE ATTITUDES OF VOTERS IN SIX WESTERN STATES

JANUARY 2015CONDUCTED BY: LORI WEIGEL / PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES

DAVE METZ / FAIRBANK, MASLIN, MAULLIN, METZ & ASSOCIATES


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3

Utah

ArizonaNew

Mexico

Colorado

Wyoming

Montana


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We tested 11 different potential factors that could play a role insomeone being attracted to life in the West, and asked voters

tell us if it was a “significant factor, somewhat of a factor or notreally a factor in you deciding to live and stay in the West.”

The rationales voters say are most significant all revolve aroundthe outdoors and nature.


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In fact, these factors outrank economic ones in their significance.

Reasons for Living in West Ranked By Significant FactorSignificant

Factor A Factor

Clean air, clean water and environment 57% 85%

Healthy, outdoor lifestyle 56% 88%Ability to live near, recreate on and enjoy public

lands like national parks and forests 49% 80%

Cost of living 44% 80%

Economic opportunities 41% 78%

Quality of public schools 36% 63%

Quality of health care and hospitals 32% 66%

Level of traffic congestion 32% 64%

Amount of taxes 27% 61%Hunting and fishing opportunities 25% 48%

Opportunities to open my own business 25% 45%


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Majorities of voters in four of the six states say a cleanenvironment is significant in drawing them to and keeping them

in the West.

80%90% 92% 87%

81%

94%

Arizona Colorado Montana New Mexico Utah Wyoming

Total Factor

Clean Air, Clean Water and Environment By State

48%

Significant

63%

Significant

73%Significant 66%

Significant49%

Significant

72%Significant


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There’s even more agreement over a “healthy outdoor lifestyle”playing a role; particularly strong in Montana and Wyoming.

86% 89%95%

85% 87%94%


Total Factor

Healthy, Outdoor Lifestyle By State

53%

Significant

54%

Significant

73%

Significant57%

Significant

57%

Significant

67%Significant


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Here’s the kind of reasons voters providedfor why they live in the West.

“We just like it here. We like the weather.

Mostly, probably the main reason is just the

weather and the out doors. There's sunshine

and so much stuff outdoors to do, and

things are just fresh.”

- Democratic Woman Age 45-54, Colorado

“We have the cleanest air and the most

pristine wild lands and wildlife. I’m more

comfortable here than I am anywhere else.”

- Independent Man Age 65+, Montana

“Outdoor recreation. I like that it's year round andthat we have seasons, so you can go out in the

winter and you can also go out in the summer.”

- Democratic Man Age 35-44, Montana

“I like the national parks. I like theoutdoors, the recreation possibilities.”

- Independent Man Age 65+, Utah

“It's a beautiful place to live and I can go walking with

my wife in the mountains. It's a nice place to live. You

can raise your children and grandchildren where they

have room to run, jump, explore, and be kids.”

- Republican Man Age 65+, Wyoming


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Western voters back up their words in action. Nearly all of themreport having visited nationally-managed public lands in the

last year.

“And over the past year, how many times do you think you have visited public lands managed byU.S. agencies, such as national parks, national forests, national monuments, national wildlife

refuges, or Bureau of Land Management Lands.”

43%

30%

23%

97%

More Than 20 Times

6-20 Times

1-5 Times

Total Visited in Last Year


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I'm going to mention a few priorities

that some people have for national

parks, forests, national monuments ,

wildlife refuges, and other national

public lands. Please tell me howimportant each one is to you personally.

Is it very important, somewhat

important , not very important or not at

all important as a priority for parks and

public lands.


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Protecting and conserving national public lands for futuregenerations and wildlife are the top priorities Westerners hold.

Priorities for Public Lands Ranked By Very Important Very Important Total Important

Protecting and conserving natural areas for future

generations 82% 96%

Protecting and conserving wildlife habitat 75% 95%

Making sure that rangers have the resources they need to

take care of public lands and provide services to visitors 72% 95%

Ensuring access for recreational activities such as hiking,

biking, hunting and fishing 71% 96%

Making sure resources such as oil and gas, minerals or

coal are available for development and mining 40% 72%Making them available for livestock grazing 35% 76%


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Voters across the political spectrum place protecting publiclands as the top priority they hold.

Protect and Conserve for Future Generations By Party

95% 96% 98%

Republicans

(37%)

Independents

(31%)

Democrats

(30%)

Total Important

75%

Very Important

79%

Very Important

93%

Very Important


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This is the top or next to top rationale in every state.

96% 96% 96% 96% 96% 94%


Total Important

Protect and Conserve for Future Generations By State

83%

Very

84%

Very 77%

Very

85%

Very 78%

Very

74%

Very


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A majority of voters in each of these states say a lack of properfunding for these nationally managed lands is a problem in their

state.

78%73%

63%71%

67%

51%


Total Serious

Lack of Resources to Properly Maintain Public Lands By State

38%

Extremely/

Very Serious

35%

Extremely/

Very Serious 21%

Extremely/

Very Serious

34%

Extremely/

Very Serious

26%

Extremely/

Very Serious17%

Extremely/

Very Serious


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By a 44 point margin, voters tell us they view these federalpublic lands as belonging to the nation – not to their state.

“And do you think of these public lands more as - AMERICAN places that belong to

everyone in our country, or STATE places that belong more to the people of (STATE)?”

State Places

American Places


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There is overwhelming support for Presidents continuing tohave the prerogative to designate National Monuments;

Support for Congress funding LWCF, but not for sale of publiclands.

Public Lands Actions Ranked By Support Support Oppose

Future Presidents continuing to protect existing

public lands as national monuments 80% 10%

Continue to use some of the money from fees

charged to oil and gas companies that drill offshore

for conservation of natural areas and clean water,

and to ensure access to outdoor recreation

75% 10%

Sell significant holdings of public lands like national

forests to reduce the budget deficit 17% 69%


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63%70%

76%

Republicans

(37%)

Independents

(31%)

Democrats

(30%)

Total Oppose

Opposition to Congress acting to sell off public lands in order toreduce the budget deficit is rejected by majorities across the

partisan spectrum.

Selling Public Lands By Party

50%Strongly

55%

Strongly

65%

Strongly


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More than two-thirds also support the BLM protecting sage-grousehabitat through restricting some activities on public lands.

Approximately half of all remaining

Greater sage grouse habitat is on

public lands managed by the BLM,

that is the Bureau of Land

Management. Because of the

sage

grouse's declining population,the BLM drafted plans to protect the

bird and other animals that live in

its habitat. Those plans would mean

the habitat would continue to be

open to hiking, biking, camping,

fishing, and more, but there would

be some limits on energydevelopment, livestock grazing, and

off road vehicle use in certain areas.

69%

24%

Total Support Total Oppose

+45%

38%

Strongly


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These plans engender majority support in every state.

73% 70%

59%68% 67%

53%

20%24%

34%

22%28%

41%


Total Support Total Oppose

Sage Grouse Habitat Protections By State

+53% +46% +25% +46% +39% +12%


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2 0 1 3 2 0 1 5 D S

Places a HIGHER priority on protecting

land, air and water than you do6% 6% 0%

Places the SAME priority on protecting

land, air and water that you do17% 18% +1%

Places a LOWER priority on protecting

land, air and water than you do22% 27% +5%

Not really sure of the positions your

Member of Congress has taken54% 47% -7%

“Would you say that your Member of Congress probably…”

Most voters still admit not knowing their Members’ views onthese issues.


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Voters in these Western states tell us that the public lands, opportunities for

outdoor recreation, and clean air and water they find here are significant

reasons they choose to live where they do. Those eclipse economic factors.

Westerners value our national public lands. They visit them regularly and

prioritize preserving them for future generations.

They have a conservation agenda for the new Congress that includes

protection of land and water, but rejects the selling of public lands. Few are

confident their Member of Congress places as high a priority on these issues

as they themselves do.


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Colorado College State of the Rockies [email protected](719)227-8145www.stateoftherockies.com

Lori [email protected](303)433-4424

Dave [email protected](510)451-9521

Colorado College State of the Rockies [email protected](719)227-8145www.stateoftherockies.com

Lori [email protected](303)433-4424

Dave [email protected](510)451-9521

Documents

2015 Survey of Attitudes of Voters Toward Public Lands and other Western Issues